fil·let (fĭl′ĭt) n.
A thin flat molding used as separation between or ornamentation for larger moldings.
No…it’s not chicken or fish! In picture framing, fillet is a wooden accent primarily attached to the inside edge of a mat. I like to use a fillet to echo the finish of the frame. I feel this achieves artistic balance and harmony and provides the viewer with a subliminal terminus to the matting/framing package. Fillets are a bit more expensive than other similar design elements like inner mats, but they are eye-catching and provide a very polished look.
The first example uses a gilded frame and fillet package by Max Moulding. This is a more classsic approach which fits the style of this plate signed Picasso lithograph printed by Henri Deschamps.
Framed Picasso with fabric mat and fillet
A close-up view of a Picasso lithograph in a gold frame with fabric mat and fillet.
The second example uses a brushed silver frame and fillet from Larson Juhl’s Gramercy and Metro lines. This approach which works well with modern works of art such as this photograph by Cynthia Matthews.
Cynthia Matthews photograph framed with a modern silver frame and fillet.
A close-up of a modern framing treatment featuring an antique silver frame and fillet.